A Pinch of Spice and Wolf II Appears

One of 2008's most popular anime was Spice and Wolf (or Ookami to Koushinryou), a beautifully-animated fantasy tale set in a world vaguely resembling medieval Europe and revolving around a traveling peddler named Lawrence who finds himself in the company of a young woman-- who is, in fact, a wolf deity named Horo.

Dengeki has what they're calling the first drawings of both Horo and Lawrence for Spice and Wolf II. This is more exciting because it means that the sequel is finally moving forward than because of the drawings themselves, which look more or less like the first season's versions. The first season started in January '08. I kind of doubt we'll see it as soon as Spring '09, though I suppose it's possible...summer or fall is more likely, though sometimes they like to keep a show in the same season, so we might not see it until January '10. (I'm crossing my fingers that we get it earlier, though.)

The article also notes that while the novels that the series was originally based on, by writer Isune Hasekura and illustrator Juu Ayakura, are still going strong (the 9 was recently released), the manga adaptation by Keito Koume has been slumping a bit.